Game Studio
Game Studio Inc. is a Tokyo-headquartered Japanese game developer (230 staff) that both self-publishes original IPs such as Datsugoku and Aooni and contracts development and live operations for major IP holders including Bandai Namco, Square Enix, and KADOKAWA across console, mobile, PC, and arcade platforms.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersTokyo, Japan
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Game Studio does
Game Studio Inc. (株式会社ゲームスタジオ) is a Tokyo-headquartered Japanese game development studio founded in April 2004, operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of NJ Holdings Corporation. The company runs a dual business model: (1) B2B contract development and live operations for major Japanese IP holders including Bandai Namco (SYNDUALITY Echo of Ada), Square Enix (Infinity Strash: Dragon Quest Dai no Daibouken, the LORD of VERMILION arcade series), KADOKAWA (誰が勇者を育てたか -Spin of Fate-, Mayhem Maidens), Konami (ラブラプラス EVERY), Sega (StarHorsePocket+), Benesse (educational titles), and Bushiroad (Triple Monsters); and (2) self-published original IP including the 脱獄ごっこ/Datsugoku franchise (10M+ mobile downloads, Nintendo Switch Edition launched April 2026), the 青鬼/Aooni horror series (200K+ copies sold), ピンチ50連発!! (Fischer's collaboration), and Mayhem Maidens.
The studio develops using Unity and Unreal Engine for cross-platform deployment across Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox, Steam, iOS, Android, and arcade systems, and has expanded into Fortnite UEFN custom maps. It employs approximately 230 staff across three offices (Tokyo HQ, Kyoto since 2014, Aomori since 2017). Revenue is earned through development fees on commissioned titles, one-time license sales on self-published titles, and managed live services for ongoing games such as SYNDUALITY Echo of Ada. The company distributes its titles through digital storefronts and partner publishers, and markets them via its corporate website, PR Times press releases, dedicated social accounts, trade show presence (TGS, gamescom, BitSummit), and content creator guidelines encouraging streaming.
Game Studio firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Game Studio
- Legal name
- 株式会社ゲームスタジオ
- Website
- https://gamestudio.co.jp
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Game Studio Inc. is a Tokyo-headquartered Japanese game developer (230 staff) that both self-publishes original IPs such as Datsugoku and Aooni and contracts development and live operations for major IP holders including Bandai Namco, Square Enix, and KADOKAWA across console, mobile, PC, and arcade platforms.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Game Studio industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Video Game Development and Publishing
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (513210)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Programming Services (7371), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Co-Development, Porting & Remaster Studios (MPAFAAAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Indie Game Studios (MPAFAAAC), Live-Service & MMO Game Studios (MPAFAAAD), Narrative/Adventure & RPG Game Studios (MPAFAAAL)
Keywords
Where Game Studio is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tokyo
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices3 records
Markets served
Game Studio business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Contract Game Development: Game Studio develops games under contract for IP holders and publishers such as Bandai Namco, Square Enix, KADOKAWA, Konami, Sega, and others. Revenue is earned as a development fee or work-for-hire arrangement.
- Self-Published Original Titles: Game Studio develops and self-publishes original IP titles (e.g., 脱獄ごっこ, ピンチ50連発!!, 青鬼, Mayhem Maidens, UNDERGROUNDED) on platforms including Nintendo Switch, Steam, and PlayStation, earning revenue from direct sales.
- Game Operations and Live Services: Game Studio operates live services for titles such as SYNDUALITY Echo of Ada, managing ongoing content seasons and updates for which it earns operational revenue.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Standard retail digital release |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels8 records
Marketing channels11 records
Game Studio product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Game Studio is a Japanese game development company that develops and self-publishes original game titles on Nintendo Switch, Steam, PlayStation, Xbox, and mobile platforms, while also providing contract development and live operations services to major Japanese IP holders and publishers such as Bandai Namco, Square Enix, KADOKAWA, Konami, and SEGA. The company works across genres including horror, action, RPG, simulation, tower defense, and educational games, using Unity, Unreal Engine, and UEFN tooling.
Product overview
Game Studio is a Japanese game development company offering a diverse portfolio of games across multiple platforms including Nintendo Switch, Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox. The company develops both original titles and commissioned works for major IP holders. The product lineup centers on action and horror games (Aooni series, Datsugoku, Pinch 50 Barrage), tower defense roguelikes (Mayhem Maidens), PvPvE shooters (SYNDUALITY Echo of Ada), and licensed anime-based games (Echoes of Aincrad, Infinity Strash Dragon Quest Dai no Daibouken). The company also creates content for Fortnite Creative using UEFN and develops mobile applications. Game Studio serves various market segments from family-friendly action games to horror and strategy titles.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- 脱獄ごっこ Nintendo Switch Edition (Datsugoku Nintendo Switch Edition) Asymmetric multiplayer communication battle action game where players alternate between cooperation and betrayal, supporting up to 8 players with new game modes including Hoshitori Battle, new maps, character skins, accessories, and a title system. Co-developed and co-published with LiTMUS.
- 青鬼 ブルーベリー温泉の怪異 (Aooni: The Horror of Blueberry Onsen) Latest entry in the legendary horror game series Aooni, set in an abandoned hot spring where players must escape while uncovering the mystery of the blueberry hot spring and what awaits at the deepest level. Available on Steam and Nintendo Switch. Co-developed with LiTMUS and noprops.
- ピンチ50連発!! FEAT. Fischer's -フィッシャーズ- (50 Pinch Barrage!! FEAT. Fischer's) Cinematic action game collaboration with YouTube creator group Fischer's where players overcome approaching dangers and traps with heroic intuition and action technique. Co-developed with LiTMUS and UUUM.
- Mayhem Maidens High-intensity roguelike tower defense game featuring simultaneous 5-character control, free strategy, and deck building to defend the base from enemy forces. Published with KADOKAWA and 0UP GAMES.
- 誰が勇者を育てたか -Spin of Fate- (Spin of Fate) Slot-deck-building hero training game combining slot mechanics, deck building, and hero training where players deepen bonds with companions and use customized slots to raise the hero who saves the world. Published with KADOKAWA and 0UP GAMES.
- SYNDUALITY Echo of Ada PvPvE shooter/survival TPS game where players pilot mechs and compete for items on the ground with partner meigas. Features ever-changing environments and deepening buddy experience with meigas companions. Developed and operated under license from Bandai Namco Entertainment.
- インフィニティ ストラッシュ ドラゴンクエスト ダイの大冒険 (Infinity Strash Dragon Quest: Dai no Daibouken) Action RPG where players control characters from Dai's Adventure, featuring Story Mode to experience the original story and Memory Temple mode with procedurally generated dungeons. Commissioned by Square Enix.
- 青鬼 (Aooni) Classic horror game revived and evolved with official double-speed mode and new mode Aooni - Blue Chapter. Players face the terror of the approaching blue demon. Co-developed with LiTMUS and noprops.
- UNDERGROUNDED Upcoming game title developed by Game Studio, featured at Tokyo Game Show 2025 and gamescom 2025 with a demo available on Steam Next Festival.
- Echoes of Aincrad Game based on the Sword Art Online anime series, commissioned for development. Scheduled for release on July 9, 2026.
- 檻ノ鳥 THE BIRD IN THE CAGE Japanese horror survival action game where players must survive 5 minutes in a room filled with cursed traps, published as a Fortnite Creative map using Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN).
- BARRAGE ARENA 3v3 360-degree bullet hell shooting battle game published as a Fortnite Creative map for Android, PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox Series S|X.
Quantifiable outcome
- 10M+ cumulative downloads for 脱獄ごっこ mobile app
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Game Studio
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Game Studio technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Game Studio partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Bandai Namco EntertainmentcoreGame Studio is contracted to develop and operate SYNDUALITY Echo of Ada, a PvPvE shooter IP owned by Bandai Namco. Game Studio handles full-cycle development and ongoing live service operations including seasonal content updates.
- Square EnixcoreGame Studio has developed multiple Square Enix titles including Infinity Strash: Dragon Quest Dukemonia (console/PC), the LORD of VERMILION arcade series (LoV I through LoV IV and spin-offs), Figureheads (PS4), and BARRAGE ARENA 3v3 (Fortnite UEFN). These are licensed development relationships.
- KADOKAWA CorporationcoreGame Studio developed 誰が勇者を育てたか -Spin of Fate- in partnership with KADOKAWA and 0UP GAMES, released on Steam. KADOKAWA serves as the publisher for this title.
- KONAMI Digital EntertainmentminorGame Studio developed ラブプラス EVERY, a communication game for iOS/Android, under Konami's IP and published by Konami Digital Entertainment.
- SEGAminorGame Studio developed StarHorsePocket+, a horse-racing simulation game published by SEGA for mobile platforms.
- LiTMUScoreGame Studio co-develops and co-publishes original IP titles including 脱獄ごっこ (10M+ DL mobile franchise) and the 青鬼 horror series with LiTMUS. These are proprietary franchises where Game Studio and LiTMUS collaborate.
- Benesse CorporationminorGame Studio has developed multiple educational game titles for Benesse Corporation, including 定期テスト暗記トラベラー (learning app), 小学校完成モンスターアドベンチャー (educational RPG), 都道府県陣取りバトル47 (learning game), and others. Benesse publishes these titles.
- Fischer's (UUUM)minorGame Studio collaborated with YouTube creator group Fischer's (operated by UUUM) to develop ピンチ50連発!! FEAT. Fischer's -フィッシャーズ-, a co-branded Nintendo Switch title featuring the Fischer's channel's characters and branding.
- BushiroadminorGame Studio developed トリプルモンスターズ (Triple Monsters), a trading card game/RPG published by Bushiroad for mobile platforms.
- AimingminorGame Studio provided development cooperation for ダンジョンに出会いを求めるのは間違っているだろうか バトル・クロニクル, released by Aiming. Also developed 北海道連鎖殺人オホーツクに消ゆ for G-MODE.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Game Studio competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- PlatinumGames: Established Japanese action-game developer (Bayonetta, NieR) doing both self-published and contract work for publishers like Square Enix and Nintendo. Comparable hybrid structure at larger scale.
- Keywords Studios: Global leader in game development support services (localization, QA, co-development, art services). A broader incumbent in the outsourced game development space relevant to Game Studio's contract business.
- Level-5: Larger Japanese developer/publisher with strong self-published franchises (Professor Layton, Yo-kai Watch, Inazuma Eleven) and external co-development work. A broader incumbent in the same market.
Direct peers
- Acquire Corp: Tokyo-based developer blending co-development work for major publishers with self-published titles (Tenchu, Way of the Samurai, Octopath Traveler co-development). Similar dual B2B/B2C model.
- CyberConnect2: Fukuoka-based Japanese studio widely known for co-development and contract work on major publisher IP (.hack, Naruto, Dragon Ball Z games), closely matching Game Studio's B2B contract development model.
- ArtPlay: Japanese game studio led by Koji Igarashi, focused on contract development and self-published titles in the action/RPG space. Comparable hybrid model serving publishers and direct consumers.
- Grounding Inc. Japanese game developer with a hybrid model of contracted development for publishers and original IP work (Yakuza series co-development). Closely comparable to Game Studio's contract-and-IP mix.
- M2 (Japanese game studio): Japanese studio specializing in retro ports, remasters, and co-development work for publishers like Sega and Capcom (Sega Ages, Castlevania collections). Highly comparable to Game Studio's porting and co-development services.
Regional players
- Aiming Inc. Tokyo-listed Japanese developer focused on online/mobile game development with both contract and self-published operations. Comparable in size and B2B + B2C mobile/online mix.
Emerging players
- Too Kyo Games: Japanese studio founded by Kazutaka Kodaka (Danganronpa creator) doing co-development and original IP work with Nintendo and Spike Chunsoft. Comparable on the contract-plus-original-IP axis.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Game Studio social profiles
Digital presenceGame Studio financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Game Studio leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Game Studio funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Game Studio M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Game Studio
What does Game Studio do?
Game Studio is a Japanese game development company that develops and self-publishes original game titles on Nintendo Switch, Steam, PlayStation, Xbox, and mobile platforms, while also providing contract development and live operations services to major Japanese IP holders and publishers such as Bandai Namco, Square Enix, KADOKAWA, Konami, and SEGA. The company works across genres including horror, action, RPG, simulation, tower defense, and educational games, using Unity, Unreal Engine, and UEFN tooling.
Is Game Studio a public or private company?
Game Studio is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Game Studio founded?
Game Studio was founded in 2004. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Game Studio based?
Game Studio is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does Game Studio make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Contract Game Development is the primary driver. The others are self-Published Original Titles and game Operations and Live Services.
Who are Game Studio's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are PlatinumGames, Keywords Studios and Level-5. Direct peers are Acquire Corp, CyberConnect2, ArtPlay, Grounding Inc. and M2 (Japanese game studio). Aiming Inc. is listed as a regional player. Too Kyo Games is listed as an emerging player.
Does Game Studio have an API?
No public API is recorded for Game Studio.
What industry is Game Studio in?
Game Studio's product category is Video Game Development and Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFAAAM, Co-Development, Porting & Remaster Studios, with a secondary code of MPAFAAAC, Indie Game Studios. Its NAICS code is 513210 and its SIC code is 7371.